1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to transporter systems for transporting factory built manufactured homes. More particularly, the invention concerns the transport of chassis systems that are a permanent part of factory-built manufactured homes.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
In recent years factory built manufactured homes have become quite popular. These manufactured homes are typically quite large and comprise very heavy interconnected sections. For example factory built manufactured homes are typically constructed as single width homes, double width homes and triple width homes, some having a length in excess of 70 feet. As a general rule, the single width homes are about 12-16 feet wide, the double width homes are about 24-32 feet wide and the triple width homes are about 38-48 feet wide.
After a portion of a manufactured home has been constructed at the factory, it is generally transported by truck over public roads to its permanent homesite. These home sections are typically quite large and can have and a width of on the order of 16 feet and a length in excess of 70 feet.
In the past, the coupler or hitch used on chassis systems for manufactured housing units consisted of a mobile home hitch of standard construction that was designed to connect to a 2{fraction (5/16)} inch ball on the transport trucks. However, for the past several years, manufactured housing units have become so heavy that the standard type of mobile home hitch and screw jack is no longer practical. The alternative has been to use a pintle hook and heavy-duty jack stand. However this approach has proved to be very expensive and generally too costly for the industry. As will be better understood from the discussion that follows, the apparatus of the present invention comprises a hybrid attachment for use in the manufactured housing industry which is both inexpensive and meets the capacity requirements for heavier manufactured housing units.
Little work has been done in the past in attempting to design a suitable hitch for use in connection with trailers for transporting large and heavy manufactured housing units. However, U.S. Pat. No. 6,511,250 issued to Lindsay discloses a specialized type of hitch mechanism for use in connection with large transport carrier frames. More particularly this patent discloses a quick release mechanism for a detachable hitch assembly which comprises at least two receiving portions at tached to a cross member of a transport carrier frame in a spaced-apart relationship and corresponding mating portions attached to a detachable hitch assembly.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved hitch assembly that is specially designed for transporting large and heavy manufactured housing units.
Another object of the invention is to provide a novel hitch assembly of the aforementioned character that is inexpensive and meets the capacity requirements for moving heavy manufactured housing units.
Another object of the invention is to provide a hitch assembly as described in the preceding paragraphs that is of a simple, but highly rugged construction.
Another object of the invention is to provide a hitch assembly of the class described that is easy to install on manufactured housing units of standard design. More particularly, the uniquely configured connector member of the hitch assembly of the invention, which is of a one piece unitary construction, includes angularly extending sides that define an included angle of approximately 50 or 60 degrees so that it can be interconnected with the structural members of standard, prior art hitch assemblies, which define a similar included angle.